Knowsley Council is looking to “explore and develop” better public transport links in the wake of its Borough of Culture success.
At the end of last year, the council handed over the baton to St Helens after a year of cultural celebrations, which included a wide array of events and activities across the borough.
From an Owl and Pussycat trail to a nonsense festival, a mass renewal of wedding vows to a 10-day music festival, the borough’s programme of events complimented the opening of the new Shakespeare North playhouse in Prescot.
READ MORE: UK travellers will have to pay to enter Europe from end of 2023
Knowsley Council leader Cllr Graham Morgan described it as “the most amazing year” that “people will be taking about for years to come.”
As part of a review in to the events and the legacy of the Borough of Culture year, the strong communities scrutiny committee produced a report looking at what can be learnt from the festivities.
The report states: “Knowsley had been successful in delivering a highly ambitious programme which was generating a wide range of positive outcomes in terms of wellbeing, skills and education, community cohesion and economic growth”
It adds that many of the events helped create “a strong sense of local identity and a feeling of belonging among participants” as well as bringing “a large return on investment, with every pound spent leading to £8 going back into the local economy.”
The report, which is due to be discussed at cabinet next week, also focuses on what can be done to build on and develop some of the successes of 2022, bringing several key recommendations for the council going forward.
These include “exploring and developing” ways to improve public transport links to key cultural centres such as Kirkby Gallery and the Shakespeare North Playhouse as part of strategy to “further enhance access and take up of cultural opportunities.”
The report also recommends approaches such as ‘pay what you decide’ and other affordable ticket options for events to encourage access to the many low income families in the borough.
Other recommendations include building on relationships with strategic partners, encouraging ongoing volunteering programmes, exploring cultural activities for children making use of local libraries and school partnerships, as well as working to identify funding opportunities for further programmes of cultural activities.
According to the report, this could include grant funding, match funding, use of Section 106 money from developments and using funds “smartly” to generate the biggest returns on investment.
The report also suggests drawing on the infrastructure and skills developed during the Borough of Culture year to bring forward a programme to celebrate the borough’s 50th anniversary in 2024 and encourage the development of a creative sector in the borough.
The report will be discussed at a meeting of Knowsley Council’s cabinet due to be held at Huyton municipal buildings on Wednesday, January 18 at 5pm.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
Read next:
Connor Chapman charged with murder of Elle Edwards
Wetherspoons workers attacked after asking sex offender to leave
Dad cooking young son's tea horrified to as rat appears in kitchen next to him
Lisa Marie Presley, 54, dies after reports of cardiac arrest at her LA home
Woman sobs as she's jailed for sending messages to a dog on Facebook
